Grant issue: aided school managements to back stir
Chandigarh, July 23
The executive of the Punjab Aided School Managements Association today passed a resolution to support the agitation to be launched by the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union on July 25 against the state Finance Department’s directive to phase out the grant-in-aid of these schools.

Bush apprised of Sikh issues
Amritsar, July 23
Dr Rajwant Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, used the opportunity at the state dinner hosted in honour of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, at the White House to lobby for Sikh issues with the US President, Mr George Bush, and Indian Prime Minister besides with the key members of the Bush Cabinet.

Try Hawara in special court: Bitta
Ropar, July 23
The president of the All-India Anti Terrorist Front, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, today demanded that all cases of terrorists activities lodged against the main accused in the Beant Singh assassination case, Jagtar Singh
Hawara, should be tried in a special court in Delhi. He said it was risky to keep on moving Hawara for cases registered against him in Delhi, Punjab and
Chandigarh.

Bibi’s removal part of Cong conspiracy, says Badal
Nankiana Sahib (Sangrur), July 23
Terming the decision of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission (SGJC) regarding the removal of Bibi Jagir Kaur from the membership of the SGPC and its presidentship, as “unfortunate” and a “conspiracy” of the Congress, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), today alleged that Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister, had crossed all limits as far as interference in the affairs of Sikh religion was concerned. He alleged that the decision against Bibi Jagir Kaur, had been pronounced by the SGJC at his behest.

All SC, ST vacancies to be filled soon
Ludhiana, July 23
The Central Government has issued directions to all states to fill the vacant posts for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates without delay.

Rs 4,000 per acre compensation demanded
Sangrur, July 23
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked the Punjab Government to announce a compensation of Rs 4,000 per acre for the farmers whose standing crops were damaged during the recent floods in the state.

Tamil Nadu leaders visit city
Amritsar, July 23
A delegation of the Committee on Papers Laid on the Table of the House of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly comprising leaders of various parties visited the holy city to have a feel of the Punjabi culture.

Members of a Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Committee after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Saturday.
— A Tribune photograph

MC blamed for removal of institute boards
Jalandhar, July 23
The case involving Ms Davinder Kaur Aulakh, who, has been fighting a lone battle to save her Hoshiarpur-based nursing institute, took a new turn today as she alleged that signboards indicating the location of her institute had been removed either by some unscrupulous elements or the municipal council officials”
under political pressure”.

Bathinda, July 23
An English teacher from a remote Andhra village of Yemmiganur in Khanool district, M.
Anjaneyulu, had been searching for his 12-year-old son who went missing on February 19. Having lost all hopes, he had no inkling that the hunt for his son would end in a non-descript village of Punjab.

M. Anjaneyulu (left) with his son M. Anvesh Babu at Circuit House in Bathinda on Saturday. DC Rahul Bhandari and panchayat secretary Labh Singh are also seen.
— A Tribune photo

Another TB patient loses life
Abohar, July 23
Jambha Bahadur (32), who was declared incurable and was discarded by the tuberculosis hospital here lost the battle for life. Family sources said he died yesterday and was cremated today.

Home Guards to intensify protest
Patiala, July 23
The Punjab Home Guard Home Association has decided to intensify its struggle by chalking out
a strategy at a meeting to be held on July 27.

Magician Samrat Shankar handcuffs SSP Kapil Dev during a show in Bathinda on Friday.
— Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

PSEB engineers get management tips
Ropar, July 23
On the concluding day of a workshop on “Advanced Management Development Programme” for engineers of the local thermal plant, here today, Mr R. S. Sohal, General Manager of the plant, said there was a dire necessity to convert the PSEB to a system-driven organisation on the lines of the NTPC.

Medical bodies hail DA merger
Patiala, July 23
Acting on a long-pending demand of various medical associations of state, the Punjab Government has issued instructions to merge the dearness allowance (DA) up to 50 per cent into basic salaries of the government doctors.

Seminar on free legal aid
Fatehgarh Sahib, July 23
To create legal awareness at the grass-roots, the District Legal Services Authority today organised a seminar regarding free legal aid and Lok Adalts at Ishar Hel village in the district in co-ordination with Directorate of Field Publicity and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The seminar was presided over by Mr Nanu Ram, Assistant District Attorney ( Legal Services) Fatehgarh Sahib. A large number of people attended the seminar.

Protest against MC
Phagwara, July 23
Instead of the soulful rendition of hymns that is usually associated with parbhat
pheris, residents of Wards No. 9 and 26 were today surprised to see a totally different parbhat pheri in which participants performed “siapa” of the authorities and raised slogans against the Nagar Council, Phagwara, at 4:30 am. They were protesting against the supply of contaminated drinking water and insanitary conditions. — OC

Indian prisoner repatriated
Amritsar, July 23
The Pakistani Rangers repatriated Suresh Baba, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, from the Wagah Joint Check Post, here today. He had crossed over to Pakistan inadvertently. He was lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat
Jail.

Mann sent to judicial custody till Aug 6
Phillaur, July 23
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simaranjit Singh Maan, who was arrested on sedition charges and provocative speeches at Gurdwara Mao Sahib near Phillaur on June 5, was produced before the Judicial Magistrate, Phillaur, Mrs Jaswinder Kaur today, who sent him in judicial custody till August 6.

DSP Khosa relinquishes charge
Ferozepore, July 23
The Vigilance Bureau has finally relieved Mr Surjit Singh Khosa, DSP, Vigilance, from his duties though he was reportedly suspended a long time back. The state government had placed him under suspension for allegedly falsely implicating a Tehsildar in a corruption case. Vigilance sources revealed that though, Mr Khosa was officially suspended on July 15 but he relinquished the charge on July 18.

Plantation drive inaugurated
Fatehgarh Sahib, July 23
To make Fatehgarh Sahib a green district with a pollution-free environment, a tree plantation drive under the “Plant Tree, Save Fatehgarh Sahib” scheme has been launched in the district.

Fake travel agent held
Fatehgarh Sahib, July 23
The district police has arrested a fake travel agent on the charge of fleecing people on the pretext of sending them abroad illegally. The wife of the travel agent, who allegedly used to help him in the illegal business, has also been booked, but is at large.

Killer of teenager arrested
Phagwara, July 23
The Kapurthala police today solved a blind murder case, according to Kapurthala SSP Tejinderpal Singh. A teenager Sukhwinder Singh, alias Binder, of Khojewal village was allegedly murdered by Gurwinder Singh, alias Dimple, of
Maksoodan. He was today arrested under Sections 302 IPC and the weapons of offence, including a “datur” and an autorickshaw, were seized from him.

Two get 5-year jail term for robbery
Abohar, July 23
The Chief Judicial Magistrate at Sriganganagar, 40 km from here, today sentenced two persons to five years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each for robbing a lady doctor, official sources said.

Minor girl commits suicide
Jalandhar, July 23
A minor girl committed suicide at her residence in Bhanu Langa village of Kapurthala here yesterday.

PMET re-evaluation report to be submitted by July 25
Amritsar, July 23
Even as the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to submit its report on re-evaluation of the 21 controversial questions of the PMET 2005 examination, conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), on July 27, Mr Ashok Ganguly, Chairman, CBSE, affirmed that the report would be submitted on July 25.

Video conferencing centre opened
Patiala, July 23
Punjabi University, Patiala, today set up a video conferencing centre as a part of Consortium of Education Communication Centre
(CECC) being established by the UGC at the
national level to connect the various academic institutions.